The Pinyon Pines Murders: A Gruesome Triple Homicide and a Decade-Long Investigation

The Discovery of the Victims

• 💔 On September 17, 2006, firefighters responding to a burning house discovered the bodies of 53-year-old Vicky Freedley and her 55-year-old boyfriend, John Hayward, inside.
• 🔥 In the backyard, the charred remains of Vicky's 18-year-old daughter, Becky Freedley, were found in a burning wheelbarrow, her cause of death un determinable due to the extent of the burns.
• 📞 The victims' sister and daughter, Tanya, a deputy sheriff, had the difficult task of informing her other sister, Drew, who was stationed in Japan with the Air Force.

Family Background and Early Suspicions

• 🏡 Becky and her sisters, Drew and Tanya, grew up on the property where the murders occurred, having had a happy childhood.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 Their father, Ron Freley, a retired sheriff investigator, had built the house, and both he and Vicky were described as good parents.
• 💔 Ron and Vicki divorced after 13 years, and while Becky remained with her mother, her older sisters moved out.
• 🕵️ Early in the investigation, law enforcement considered if the murders were related to Ron's past as a law enforcement officer, but this angle was quickly dismissed.
• 💔 Ron Freley was also briefly considered a suspect due to being the ex-husband, but he was cleared after passing a polygraph and having phone records place him hours away.

Focus Shifts to Becky's Ex-Boyfriend

• 🎯 Ron Freley began to believe the murders were specifically targeted at Becky, recalling her childhood fear of fire stemming from a severe burn incident.
• 🗣️ Becky's best friend identified her ex-boyfriend, Robert Pap, as the perpetrator from day one, stating the crime was intentional.
• 💔 Robert Pap, Becky's first love, had a history of obsessive behavior, including calling her excessively and making a death threat: "If I can't have you, nobody's going to have you."
• 🚶‍♂️ Evidence suggested Becky agreed to meet Robert and his friend Christian Smith to discuss their issues, including an incident where Robert harassed her at her workplace, a Denny's.

Investigation Challenges and Delays

• ⏳ The Riverside County Sheriff's Department had Robert Pap on their radar, but the investigation was hampered by delays, with the case being passed between detectives over several years.
• 📢 Private investigator Luis Bologanos, a friend of Ron Freley, worked to bring media attention to the case, including a provocative billboard on the six-year anniversary.
• 💡 This media push generated new tips, including one from Becky's cousin, Daniela, who recalled Becky mentioning Robert's harassment at Denny's the night before the murder.
• 🏛️ Bologanos made accusations of conflicts of interest and improper investigating against the Riverside County Sheriff's and District Attorney's offices.

Arrests, Evidence, and Defense Challenges

• ⚖️ The District Attorney's office eventually subpoenaed Robert Pap and Christian Smith to a grand jury, leading to their arrest for the triple homicide.
• 📱 Cell phone data placed Pap and Smith near Becky's home, and both their phones were turned off for a significant period on the night of the murders, an "unprecedented anomaly."
• 👣 Footprints and wheelbarrow tracks at the scene suggested Becky was alive when she was brought to the location where she was set on fire.
• 💳 A business card with Christian Smith's DNA was found near where Becky's body was discovered.
• 🔫 Searches of Pap's and Smith's homes yielded shotguns and a holster for a Glock handgun, though no ballistics were performed to link them directly to the murders.
• 🗣️ The defense argued that the threats and messages were taken out of context, that the boys were joking, and that the cell phone data was merely an anomaly.
• ❓ Defense attorneys also questioned the credibility of witness Javier Garcia Jr., highlighting his crush on Becky, his cell phone records placing him near the scene, and his father's position in the DA's office, which led to him receiving immunity.
• 💍 A gold ring inscribed with "Javier" and "Bonnie loves you" found in Becky's car was also noted as an interesting connection to Javier.

Case Dismissal and Re-arrest

• 📉 Eight years after the murders, prosecutors dropped the charges against Pap and Smith due to "legal issues" that arose during grand jury proceedings, possibly related to Javier's immunity.
• 📞 It was later revealed that police had wiretapped Pap and Smith, recording over 900 calls, but this information was not disclosed in court until years later.
• 🤫 Police also claimed Christian Smith made potentially incriminating statements alone in an interview room while still being recorded.
• ⚖️ In June 2016, Pap and Smith were re-arrested and charged again with triple murder, with a special circumstance of multiple murders added due to the burning of the bodies.
• 🎤 A new key witness came forward, claiming Christian Smith admitted in 2007, "Something went wrong and we torched the whole effing place."
• 📅 The case was heading towards trial in 2018, with the hope that it would finally bring closure to the victims' families.